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Thursday, December 27, 2018

Summer Brights During the Winter Dark

I fell in love with this 8/2 tencel 200 ends / 4.5 yards painted warp from Carr Park Artisans on Etsy. Before I knew it, it was paid for and the order placed. Oops....

I chose an 8 shaft point twill draft and the treadling was a twill progression. My Fiberworks showed it as a reversible draft which is what I look for! I added some complimentary colours for the edges in black, old gold and olive green and we got it beamed with no issues.

The tie-up went okay and I used my method of using the numbers for the upper lamms and the blanks squares for the lower lamms on my Louet Spring countermarch loom.

Finally I was weaving away and I thought.... "looks a bit dark on this side".... and sure enough, this pattern does have a darker view on the side facing me, and a brighter, more colourful warp faced side on the under side.

Well, it wouldn't be the first time I have woven something 'upside down' and decided to go ahead with it as is. Now this warp is only 4.5 yards total so this was going to be two shorter scarves with shorter fringes and no sample. So it didn't take me long to weave up the first scarf.

The second scarf? not so much! First I decided to change the treadling and I used a 'snowflake twill' treadling and it created lovely diamonds and was a nice change. Then there were medical appointments, shopping trips, trips for the post office, writing the Christmas cards and all the other activities for this time of year. So weaving on scarf number two was hit and miss and I just didn't have my heart in it.... but I soldiered on.

Finally I cut the scarves off the loom and turned to see my handiwork right side up. First scarf was lovely and finished up as 8 1/2 inches wide and 60 inches in length. Looks great as the picture shows below.

Second scarf? well I wove as far as the warp allowed but it measured as 51 inches (woven on the loom) which is too short! Then I turned it over and found not one, not two, but THREE obvious treadling errors. Ah, crap....

For some reason I wasn't upset and actually felt calm about it. I think I had already disconnected from the scarf when it took so long to weave it up.

I got the fringes twisted on the first scarf and gave it a good soak and a pressing. It took a while to get a sunny period to take some pictures but I got the following:

Of course its hard to say if you are actually seeing the colours as I have them here due to differing computer monitors/ screens and my camera etc. Its a lovely blending of raspberry plum, old gold with a hint of green and a dash of coral. Its quite pretty and for a young lady or a diminutive woman.

It took me a day or two to come up with an idea for the failed second extra long sample (I can't really call it a scarf!). I placed an order on a Sunday evening, it was processed Monday and the mail lady handed the solution to me at noon on Tuesday.....

2 comments:

Well you have left me hanging for sure. Here are my guesses for what came in the mail: a pillow form, some roving for you to felt to piece in with the weaving, or....hmmm, I can’t come up with a third. I’ll just have to wait and see.

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Thrums Textiles @ Etsy

About Me

I have been weaving now for twenty two years. Gosh where has the time gone? :) My studio space is home to a Louet Spring 90 with twelve shafts, and also a Megado 110, computer interface with 16 shafts. **(If a search brought you here for a Woolhouse Tools loom or 20+, I can assist you, but I no longer own one)**
I like finer threads and natural fibres such as silks and exotic blends, linen and cottons. I also love tencel and its bright colors.
Please find useful links to past posts by subject matter under the tab "Short Cuts".
Thanks for being a reader of my posts and visiting! Susan